My heart sank. It wasn't him. This man's hair was dark blonde like my own. It was mid-length and neatly gelled to one side. Why did angels always look like impossibly beautiful models? Was that a prerequisite? I closed my eyes again. My body hurt."Are..." I coughed a bunch of blood. I felt it land on my shirt and dribble down my chin."Hush," he said."Don't..." Another coughing fit struck me. This was not good. I probably injured something internally. "Heal," I whispered, directing energy to my lungs and stomach. I could feel the pink magic working a little. It flickered on and off inside me. It wouldn't be much, but after a time, it would stop the bleeding."Do you need a hospital?" He asked.I shook my head. "Hom..." I croaked."I figured."A moment later, we landed. I heard him open the sliding glass door. I was deposited on the daybed in the living room. It smelled like Anton and sex. I squirmed.I heard the angel make a sound of disgust."No... not..." I struggled, star
The extra powers did a good job patching up my insides. I woke the next morning to aches and pains, but none were life-threatening. I wadded up the bloodied blankets and threw them in the hamper. I'd get to that later. The room was neat and clean. I was able to part with a lot of the things Kira held on to. I just didn't need those things anymore. I wasn't trying to fill a hole in my life like she had. I finally felt like my whole self. I did feel lonely. I missed Remi and Angie, but I knew that, so I didn't hold on to unnecessary items from the past.I showered the dried blood off. When I stepped out of the shower, I wiped the mirror down with a towel. My freckled face looked back through grey eyes. They were officially blue, but it was like all the color had leaked from them, leaving only the grey. My dark blonde hair looked ashy brown from the shower. I combed long, straight locks out with a brush. I braided it back and headed out with no makeup on. I dressed in my store smock with
Nighttime was just starting to descend. It was time for me to do my nightly hunt. I sent my magic out to the windshield of my car."Find Karma's magic," I said. I pressed my will behind my voice. Puffs of purple smoke popped up on the windshield, indicating all the places Karma was working her magic. I knew she was toying with me. There were so many dots. I followed an unusually large patch. As I got closer, the spot on my window grew larger. I pulled into a parking lot of a coffee shop. It was one of those late-night ones that had live music on the weekends. The people entering had long hair and fedoras. It wasn't really my crowd, but Karma's magic was all over them. This was definitely a trap set for me. I pulled my yellow smock off over my head. I let my long blonde hair down and wiggled into my jeans and a pair of short boots. I hope I looked pretty generic. I dabbed on a bit of make-up, just some eyeliner and mascara, then left my tote in the car."Hide," I said as I folded
My neck ached. I was sitting in a chair with my hands and feet tied. My neck hung in front of me. My face felt swollen and sore. I opened my eyes slowly. I lifted my head carefully on my aching neck. The bar around me looked familiar but better than the last time I left it. A few men stood around, drinking and whispering. An orc noticed me and stood. He approached me with heavy footsteps like he was made of two tons of rock. He stopped in front of me, towering over me as he looked down."Where is he?""I. Don't. Know," I spat each word at him, breaking it down since his simple little mind couldn't seem to understand.He gripped my chair and rocked me back to see him better. His tusked teeth were so close to my face, I feared they would scrape my cheek. His breath smelled like meat. "You know something? You were the last one to see him alive.""I told you: I don't know."His golden eyes stared down at me. "Walk me through it. You summoned a demon, destroyed our bar, riled up one
I woke late the next morning. I think every muscle in my body ached. I was so stiff and swollen. I could barely move. The light streaming through my pale pink curtains told me it was early afternoon. My fingers crawled to the edge of the bed. Every fiber in my muscles screamed as I eased up into a sitting position. My feet touched the floor. I very carefully took one painful step at a time to the bathroom.The door opened before I could touch it. That girl, Marcy, stood in my bathrobe facing me with a shocked look on her face. It quickly turned into a smile. "Oh, hi. I didn't know you were awake."I gave her a tight-lipped smile and a nod. She inched around me and disappeared. I rolled my eyes as I inched closer to the bathtub. I flipped the hot water on and let it fill. After a great deal of maneuvering, I pulled off my clothes and slowly sank into the hot depths. After a long time, I could finally feel relief seep in. Everything still ached, but I could move now.My thoughts drift
I bumped into one of the other actors with my fake grocery store bag. I pretended to drop my invisible groceries all over the floor and bent to pick them up. The other actor tripped over me backward, causing me to flatten against the grass. It was a typical improv show and had the audience laughing. Mr. Kline seemed to be enjoying himself. I wondered if he'd be laughing when I was done with him.I drew on my inner power. I could feel the three demons' powers under my skin easily, but the pink god power was like a short-circuiting battery. It would come in powerful surges but not a steady stream. It made it very hard to control. I brought what power I could to my fingertips. I couldn't direct it without speaking a command. I wasn't that good a sorceress yet. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it either, but I would be ready when the opportunity arose.I picked up my pretend receipt that was under the other actor's foot. A pink spark hit his shoe. He picked up his foot quickly l
I slammed my foot down on the accelerator. The hornet pulled away from the suburban house choking on its own engine. I prayed to whatever god that would listen that it would just keep going. It stalled out. I whispered a few words of the spell to see Karma's magic. The car itself filled with purple smoke.I waved it out of my face. Mr. Kline stopped his waving. He started heading towards me with a big smile on his face. I turned the key, praying to Karma this time to please let it start. I zapped it with a bit of magic, but the damn thing still wouldn't turn over."Sandriel, Natalia, please, have mercy on me," I said to the empty car. Mr. Kline closed the distance."Someone, anyone, anything? Please, get me out of here!"A slew of motorcycle engines rumbled from behind me. I looked into the rearview mirror. Maybe that wasn't the kind of help I wanted. But, right now, I'd take it.Mr. Kline slowed to a stop and watched the motorcycle close in on me. The leader orc pulled his helm
His smile was dazzling. I stared at him in complete astonishment. After months of just trying to catch a glimpse of him, here he was standing right in front of me. My fingers spread over the hard muscles on his chest. He was solid. He really was here. He even still smelled like sunshine.His fingers squeezed my shoulders, drawing my attention to his face."Angandriel," I said, but the noise in the club drowned my words.He didn't respond. He just looked down at me amidst the dancing bodies. My eyes darted around, looking at the biker jackets closing in on me. I pointed to them. His eyes followed my directions. We were surrounded, but they weren't closing in. He nodded. He grabbed up my hands and pulled me against him. I reveled in the feeling of his arms around me and his warm body pressing against mine. It felt so safe, so familiar. I missed it.We swayed together on the dancefloor, surrounded by the dancing crowd. I folded into him like I was meant to be there, even though I was
I don't know how long I lay there crying and wailing and sniffling. I couldn't believe he was gone. I'd been played. I'd let the darkness use him and use me. I needed to be smarter. I needed to figure out what she was doing before it happened. How did one even learn those sort of skills? I was no hero. I was nothing.The deep pit of depression pulled at me throughout the hours as I lay on the cold hard ground. I couldn't pull myself up. I couldn't go on. I had killed Mila and now I had killed Remi. I let Kezia and Matei die. No matter what I did, I was never good enough to save the people I loved. I'd even killed my own mother. What was wrong with me? I was living ball of bad luck. Bad Karma.I raised my head. Had Karma done this to me? Was that the reason? I slowly pushed into a sitting position."Karma!" I screamed. I had nothing left; otherwise, I would have pushed so much power into her name; it would have knocked the rest of the castle over. "Karma! Did you do this to me!?" M
Yes, I was looking at a freaking Dragon in front of me. It must have been three stories tall. What is that, thirty feet? It was freaking huge. Its black scales glittered in the moonlight, and if I weren't shaking in my boots and worried about being eaten alive, I would have thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Atlas, it was terrifying. Complete and utter terror gripped my throat, even more than the ominous darkness that used to chase me home from work. This thing had fangs and claws and wings! It was the embodiment of a predator and it was assigned to kill me.The thing reeled back its head after in a great roar as if to bellowed out fire on me, the tiny figure standing in front of it. I instinctively rose the Aurora sword in front of me. Instead of normal flame, it blew out a steady stream of black and purple fire. The sword sliced it in half, protecting me. After the breath, it turned its head and gazed at me with one bright golden hazel eye. The fearsome intel
I woke up bound and gagged in a very cold and dark place. I could hear water dripping somewhere far off. The smell of mold and dirt filled my nostrils while the wet, cold air penetrated my clothing made me shiver. I pulled at the power I had stored inside me, but it was gone. It felt as if I had been completely drained. I even felt drained of life.I wiggled in the grime until I was able to free my gag. "Hello?" My voice echoed off what sounded to be stone walls.I could be anywhere. For a moment, I thought I was dead, but I think I was too uncomfortable to be dead just yet. After much struggling, I was able to sit."Remi?" I whispered. "Angie? Sandriel? Natalia? Anyone? Can anyone hear me?""No one can," a familiar voice echoed.It surprised me at how close it was, maybe only a few feet in front of me. The deep smooth female voice was easy to place. The water dripping in the background grew silent. Even the air around me stopped."Karma," I said."Oh, aren't you just so smart
The dark forest started to clear as I flew forward on my delicate wings. The first thing to catch my eye in the firelight was Kezia strapped to a pole in the middle of the nexus circle surrounded by what looked to be human bones. The rose bushes that were planted six years ago were the size of people, bushy, and well cared for. Their blooms were just starting to fade as the fall equinox rose. A hundred or so crystals sparkled in the moonlight spread out over the complicated circles drawn in the dirt. Mila stood at the edge of the circle chanting in a language I couldn't make out.Kezia's eyes darted towards me as I appeared out of the trees. Mila immediately stopped her chant as she looked in my direction. A wicked, too big smile gaped open. Pointed teeth spilled across her face. She extended her fingers out and flicked them at me.Dark tendrils of shadows leaped from the trees. They wrapped around my ankles and wrists, pulling me down to the ground. I could feel the familiar fear gr
I stood looking out at the stars in the night sky from the roof of the Ardor bar building. The power from the crystals thrummed beneath my skin as I swirled it inside me, converting it to my pink energy. I needed to do this. I had to go all out like I had done for the brothers in order to save Kezia. It wasn't fair that she was taken hostage because of me.I closed my eyes. I searched deep inside the well of power within me and whispered, "Remi." The word escaped my lips with a deep insistence with power behind it.The night pressed in thick around me like a cloud that descended and hung about in a fog. I realized it was Remi's shadow fighting his summoning."Remi," I bit out. The power behind the word was sharp.The shadows merged into his figure. He stumbled forward on to his hands and knees before me."Kira," he heaved a breath. "Where did you learn that trick?""I need you to take me to Kezia."He lifted his head. "Don't do that. Forget about Kezia. She's lost. Just let it b
The evening died down. I was left sitting alone again, but this time my basket of crystals was full of energy. Their surfaces pulsed with pink light. The elves' energy was different, but it was intense. It wasn't as easy to mix with my own, but when I did, I felt powerful.I collected the basket and went downstairs. I bid good night to Cherry with a nod. I carried my basket through the back then started up the stairs."Beloved," Liam's deep voice drew my eyes up from the stair steps.I nodded. "Liam.""Where are you going with all those crystals?""I was taking them to my room to practice."His eyebrow ridges knit down. "Practice what?"I smiled innocently. "I'm just testing what I can do. Don't worry; I'll be careful."He eyed me suspiciously. I tried not to let my smile waiver. I felt like he could see right through me, but I held firm. I had to do this. I couldn't just let Kezia die, not like Mila."Alright, be careful. Good night, Beloved.""Good night." I inched around h
I sat outside in the parking lot were a bar counter, numerous tables and chairs, and many lights decorated the area. The elves sat politely at the tables, drinking their fancy top-shelf drinks. The Ardor Brothers pretended to be having a good time, but the suspicious glances between the two factions put a damper on the party.Lord Quillion finally strode across the parking lot towards us. He took a seat in front of me with a pained look.I remained silent with a smile on my face. No more plastic smiles for me. This one was genuine."Lord Quillion," I said."Beloved," he responded. He said it as if it tasted bitter on his tongue.That made me smile wider.Cole spread the contract out on the table between us. "This claims The Kingdom will be allies to the Ardor Brothers for the next fifty years. They will aid us with whatever we require, including sharing materials and funds. The territories will remain separate, but the people of either territory will be allowed to move across the
"I accept the terms," Lord Quillion said.I extended my hand to him. We shook, then I backed away. Both armies stepped back to give us space.Liam squeezed my shoulder. "Let me fight for you."I shook my head. "This is my fight."He gave me a worried glance but gave a slight nod. "Good luck, Beloved."Granite gave me a soft punch. "We're counting on you." They both turned and stood to block the entrance to the bar. They watched me with their iron-grey eyes. I couldn't help but smile. For such cold, hardened warriors, they had such warmth in their hearts.I turned my attention back to Lord Quillion. He stood at the center and lifted his long sword to the sky. Dark clouds appeared and swirled overhead. Blue lighting ripped from the sky on to the sword. He held pointed it toward me, then screamed a battle cry.I cringed. It sent a primal surge of fear through me. I stood my ground as he ran forward with the sword. For a moment, I felt frozen, but I calmed my thoughts and felt for
I didn't sleep. I paced the room. I tossed and turned in bed, but I never managed a wink of sleep. Hours ticked by. Painful minutes ticked by. There was nothing. No word. No text or message. I was just stuck in the dark and I didn't dare bother them because it could mean life and death. At seven o'clock in the morning, I stumbled down the stairs on tired legs. I wanted to sleep, needed it, but I couldn't. I made some cereal and sat looking out at the sun in the sky over the city. The harsh sun reminded me of my garden. I let my mind wander to that peaceful place. I thought about the blooms, the sun, and the pink glow. Before I knew it, I was standing in my garden.The plants were still there, but they looked wilted. The ones next to the stream were okay, but the rest looked a little frazzled. I added more of the glittering water next to them and they slowly perked up. I touched others and they blossomed again. The tiredness slowly drained from me as I walked through my creations.I